Food Expert Emeril Lagasse > Cooking with Beer
Cooking with Beer

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Ya know, beer is not a recent phenomenon. Human civilizations have been brewing beer for thousands of years, with archeological evidence dating from the Sumerians and Mesopotamians as long ago as 10,000 B.C. The ancient Egyptians and Chinese also brewed beer, as did pre-Columbian societies (though corn was their grain of choice, instead of barley). Here in the United States, it has been made since the time of the early colonies in the 1600s. Now who am I to disagree with history!


While beer is terrific as a beverage, it also makes a great ingredient in cooking—from brining, braising, and poaching liquids, to sauces and batters. Try your hand using beer with these recipes. You'll find that the beer flavor subtly highlights the food without giving it a strong alcohol taste.


Brining chicken is a great way to season and plump up your bird, and adding beer to the brining liquid adds extra flavor. Keep in mind that it's necessary to brine the chicken for 24 hours to get the desired results. During this time, the chicken absorbs liquid and seasoning for an unbelievably moist and flavorful bird that doesn't require basting. You're just not going to believe how tender and juicy the end result is! This is delicious served with roasted new potatoes, mashed potatoes, or rice.


A big crowd pleaser is Coconut-Beer Battered Shrimp. Folks always seem to go crazy for this, and the shrimp make an ideal hors d'oeuvre to pass with cocktails, or as a main course with rice and stir-fried vegetables. The preparation and cooking times are very short, making these easy to whip up, and the recipe doubles well.


And, believe it or not, stout beer's rich flavor makes a delicious dessert in this Guinness Ice Cream. I've paired it with a dark chocolate-honey sauce, and sugar cookies or shortbread would make an interesting match.


So, hey, remember that beer is not just something to serve alongside barbecue or Mexican food. Let it shine as a flavor component at your next meal!


Bam!
Emeril


Coconut-Beer Battered Shrimp with Mango-Orange Chutney
Ingredients
Makes 4 to 6 servings


4 cups vegetable oil for frying
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Emeril's Original Essence, plus more for dusting
1 1/4 cups beer
2 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails left on
Mango-Orange Chutney (recipe follows)
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro


Preparation
Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pot or electric fryer to 360 degrees F. Combine the flour, sugar, and Essence in a medium bowl. Slowly add the beer and whisk to form a smooth batter. Place the coconut flakes in a shallow bowl.
One at a time, holding them by the tail, dip the shrimp into the batter to coat, then dredge in the coconut, turning to coat evenly and pressing to make the flakes adhere.
Fry in batches in the oil until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season lightly with Essence.
Place the chutney in a bowl on a large platter. Arrange the shrimp on the platter around the bowl and sprinkle with the chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.




Mango-Orange Chutney
Ingredients
Makes about 2 cups


2 large seedless oranges
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
1/2 cup chopped red bell peppers
1 tablespoon minced jalapeño peppers
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 cups diced mangoes
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange zest


Preparation
Cut away the peel and pith from the oranges, and segment over a bowl to catch the juices.
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, jalapenos, curry, salt, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the mango and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the orange segments, vinegar, sugar, and zest, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning to taste. Pour into a decorative bowl and let cool completely before serving.




Beer-Brined Chicken with Giblet Gravy
Ingredients
Makes 4 servings


4 cups apple cider
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon juniper berries
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
8 cups dark beer
One 4 to 5 pound roasting chicken, well rinsed and patted dry, giblets reserved and chopped
1 1/2 cups diced yellow onions
3/4 cup diced celery
3/4 cup diced carrots
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons Emeril's Original Essence
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or chicken broth
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley


Preparation
Combine the apple cider, brown sugar, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, cinnamon, and cloves in a large pot or bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.
Combine the mixture with the beer in a plastic container. Place the chicken in the brine and, if necessary, weigh down with a heavy dinner plate to completely submerge. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spread the onions, celery, carrots, garlic, and chicken neck in the bottom of a roasting pan. Remove the chicken from the brine and rinse well under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels and place on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and Essence over medium heat. Remove from the heat. With a pastry brush, baste the top and sides of the chicken with half of the butter. Place in the oven and roast breast side up for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven, turn breast side down, and baste with the remaining seasoned butter. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and roast for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, place breast side up, and roast until golden and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a platter or cutting board. Tent with foil and let rest while making the sauce.
Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and heat the olive oil in a medium, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the reserved giblets and chicken neck, and cook, stirring, until brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add half of the vegetables from the roasting pan and cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the white wine and cook, stirring, to deglaze the pan. Add the chicken stock and any juices accumulated in the roasting pan, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the sage, and cook at a heavy simmer until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard the neck.
With a hand-held immersion blender or in batches in a food processor, process to a thick liquid. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl, pressing against the solids with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
To serve, carve the chicken and serve with the gravy.




Guinness Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate-Honey Sauce
Ingredients
Makes 1 quart


12 ounces Guinness stout
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
6 egg yolks
Dark Chocolate-Honey Sauce (recipe follows)


Preparation
Simmer the Guinness in a large saucepan until reduced by three-fourths, about 8 minutes.
Combine the cream, milk, and sugar in a medium, heavy saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the pan and add the vanilla bean halves. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat.
Beat the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Whisk 1 cup of the hot cream into the egg yolks. Gradually add the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream, to the hot cream. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and reaches 170 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to keep a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Remove from refrigerator and add the Guinness reduction, whisking until well blended. Pour into the bowl of an ice cream machine and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until ready to serve.




Dark Chocolate-Honey Sauce
Ingredients
Makes 3 1/2 cups


2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup honey
20 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Preparation
Scald the cream and honey in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat.
Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Add the hot cream, let sit for 2 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla. Let stand until cool but still pourable. Serve over the Guinness ice cream.